Three days passed after the funeral.
Three peaceful days.
For most citizens of Yggdrasil, life was finally returning to normal.
Repairs continued across the city.
Merchants reopened their businesses.
Children once again filled the streets.
The scars of the demon attack remained.
But the city endured.
Yggdrasil always endured.
For Kai, however, peace brought a different problem.
Questions.
Too many questions.
Questions he still couldn't answer.
Questions that seemed to grow every night.
Especially after the dreams.
---
The nightmares had returned.
---
Help us.
Save us.
Hero.
Murderer.
Kai.
---
Every night.
The same voices.
The same darkness.
The same feeling that somebody was calling to him from somewhere far away.
Or perhaps from another time.
---
He woke before sunrise.
Again.
Unable to sleep.
---
By midday, a royal messenger arrived.
---
"The king requests your presence."
---
Kai already knew why.
---
The throne room felt far less crowded than before.
Most of the damaged sections of government were still being reorganized.
Only a few trusted officials remained.
Andre was already there.
Eating fruit that definitely did not belong to him.
---
"Morning."
---
"It's afternoon."
Kai replied.